July 26, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers linebacker Jarret Johnson (96) and linebacker Takeo Spikes (middle) and linebacker Donald Butler (56) participate in a drill during training camp at Charger Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the defense had an under the radar gang of Linebackers, we started the season with 10 on the roster and for the most part, many of them contributed heavily whether as a starter, a rotational player or on special teams. Our team of linebackers were fierce and one of the strengths of the team.

Depth Chart 2012:

A year later, Shaun Phillips and Antwan Barnes are signed to new teams, while Spikes and Williams are free agents. It’s a different look from the previous year, we don’t have the familiarity and reliability we had from sack-happy Shaun Phillips and the leadership of Takeo Spikes will be replaced with the youthful movement of Butler’s regime.

The 2013 depth chart at linebacker is starting to pan out like this:

Depth Chart 2013:

Linebackers Jarrett Johnson, Donald Butler, Manti Te’o and Melvin Ingram looks to be set as the starters and this can potentially be an awesome group if Te’o proves he was worth trading up for and Ingram lives up to his hype. We’ll need depth at outside linebacker, someone that can rush the passer like Phillips and Barnes did.

Could rookie Tourek Williams be that guy? Has Larry English absorbed all the knowledge and technique the past four seasons to prove his 1st round worth? What happens if Donald Butler gets hurt can Smith, Bird or Mouton step up? Andrew Gachkar is a special teams player at best. Mouton is untested and that falls on the hands of Norv Turner for not seeing what this 2nd round pick was capable of.

Thus far, Bront Bird has more experience and significant playing time than Mouton. At best D.J. Smith is a back-up, but if healthy could have been a steal in free agency.

There are plenty of questions left unanswered until the first snap of the 2013 season when the Chargers take the field. The most promising part from the list above, all these guys are under the age of 25 except Johnson (31) and English (27). It’s time for the kids to prove themselves. There’s no better time than now!

Oct 28, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tackle King Dunlap (65) blocks Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann (71) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Falcons defeated the Eagles 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Telesco found a long-term solution at Rivers’ not so blind side in D.J. Fluker, but couldn’t pull the trigger on the greatest need of the team, the Left Tackle. I will say this, and I hope everyone else understands that it wasn’t Telesco’s fault when the top three tackles were selected in the first four picks. With the best three left tackles gone and the best two guards gone by the 11th selection, he made the best possible choice, we need to protect our quarterback regardless of where it is on the offensive line and therefore solidified the right tackle position for the foreseeable future.

Earlier this year I made a prediction about Jeromey Clary converting to offensive guard which has been a spoken possibility. Center Nick Hardwick will definitely enjoy the presence of a familiar veteran lineman to help support the starting line-up. If Clary can prove to be the best option at guard and if my other prediction of Johnnie Troutman stepping into his sophomore year and making a huge impact materializes, then we are set with a trio of starting interior lineman. Throw in first-round draft pick, Fluker locking down the right tackle spot; we only need one last piece to the puzzle.

We’re close, very close, whether you like to believe it or not, unfortunately the most important guy on the offensive line is still a mystery. After the Bryant McKinnie debacle we are back at square one, settling with the current roster of King Dunlap, Kevin Haslam, Mike Harris, Brandyn Dombrowski and an undrafted Nick Becton. If Max Stark isn’t the direction we want to go in and a decent trade for the right guy isn’t in the cards we may have to settle with what we got!

King Dunlap – Eagles fans are probably laughing at the “kick me” sign on our backs. Last season, Dunlap started 12 games, converting seven penalties for 70 yards, five holding calls and allowed six sacks. Not considerably bad, but this may have upset the Eagles fans when they were so used to Jason Peters who in 2011 only allowed, six penalties for 35 yards, zero holding calls yet, five false starts, but only allowed 2.5 sacks. King Dunlap isn’t incredibly bad but he had it tough being asked to fill in for a beloved Eagle in Peters.

Dec 30, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers guard Rex Hadnot (center) talks with tackle Michael Harris (79) and tackle Kevin Haslam (70) and guard Tyronne Green (69) during the first quarter against the Oakland Raiders while reflected in a puddle at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Haslam – Haslam started three games last season rotating out with Harris. Haslam did a decent job and some experts are projecting him to compete with the King at starting left tackle. What doesn’t sit well is that Haslam has been on three teams in three seasons. This undrafted free agent out of Rutgers in 2010 was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars and played in five games before going on Injured-Reserve. Next, Haslam started training camp in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders, before landing on the Chargers practice squad then to the starting lineup.

Mike Harris – Started nine games as a rookie for the Chargers. While at UCLA, Harris recorded 42 starts at “right tackle.” Yes, right tackle! In college Harris was voted the most improved offensive player two years in a row, at, you guessed it, right tackle! In the NFL, Harris allowed 10 sacks and 44 quarterback pressures, which are not good stats. Harris was a right tackle in college where he played decently, that definitely should not have been a transition to left tackle in the NFL. Did Mike Harris play admirably when asked? Yes he did, but he was unfairly asked to fill in for Big Lazy at a position he wasn’t prepared for.

Brandyn Dombrowski – With the exception of last season, Dombrowski has stepped in as versatile filler for the Chargers for 47 games including 15 starts (at guard and tackle). During Marcus McNeil’s holdout, Dombrowski filled in for eight starts. Of the 15 starts Dombrowski has slatted, he was accredited for 12.5 sacks. Believe it or not, he’s done a pretty good job over time and has the experience. Dombrowski, originally a practice squad player made his way up to the team and occasionally picked up a startingrole for his versatility, good work ethic and ability to fight for position against defenses. I like Dombrowski and here’s why, last season he did everything he could to get back to full health to help his team, all in all, he’s a determined Charger! You have to respect that!

Nick Becton – An undrafted rookie from Virginia Tech and an actual left tackle, he was typically graded highly in each of his college games. The upside of Becton is his great awareness for pass rushers and body movement. Downside is that he can approach his targets standing a bit high at times and needs to have better arm extension while run blocking. He was expected to be drafted late at round 6 or 7 but fell to us as a free agent. The Chargers have had luck finding good, sometimes great undrafted players (such as Antonio Gates and Kris Dielman), could Becton be the next?

Bill Williamson of ESPN stated the Chargers might be in the worse left tackle position in the NFL. If Williamson is right, it’s time for one of these big men to step up big time and prove otherwise. The expectation is for the King to start at left tackle at least for the upcoming season before the likes of Jake Matthews, Taylor Lewans and James Hurst hit the draft next year. Hopefully these three men are still on the board by pick 4, unless of course we’re pick 4!

Anybody remember the 2000 movie, “The Replacements” starring Keanu Reeves? Protecting Shane Falco’s (Reeves) blind side was a sumo sized solution at left tackle. It’s all Hollywood when a sumo wrestling can convert into a left tackle, but hold on a second! The San Diego Chargers currently have no permanent solution at the left tackle position. We have King Dunlap, Mike Harris and another undrafted free agent, Nick Becton who will hold down our left tackle position until otherwise noted. Or we can call up two-time Sumo World Champion, Ulambayaryn Byambajav! Byambajav, stands at 6’-1” and 350 pounds of pure meanness! He’s also entered over a hundred sumo competitions and has won nothing less than gold. See, now this guy knows what it means to be a champion!

In the sport of sumo wrestling, the goal is to attempt to force the opponent out of a circular ring, let’s consider that Philip Rivers’ radius of safety to avoid him being sacked. The other objective is to force their opponent to the ground and knock them off their feet, which can come in handy laying out linebackers while Ryan Matthews runs up the middle. A sumo wrestler has the same set of skills and similar objectives of a left tackle. It’s just a thought, a silly thought, but stranger things have happened.